Frequently Asked Questions

My doctor told me chiropractic would only help if my pain was less than a month old. Is this true?

No, one much-misquoted piece of research found chiropractic particularly effective for 'new' injuries but said nothing about longer-standing problems; over time this has come to be reported as 'chiropractic only works for acute injuries'. In fact, most people who come to the clinic have been in pain for a number of years and it is always very pleasing to be able to help them.

What is the difference between chiropractic and osteopathy?

Chiropractors and osteopaths both believe that the correct alignment of the spine is crucial to the health of the body. Both professions work to adjust the spine to improve its alignment. The main differences between the professions are in their underlying philosophies and in the techniques they use. Generally speaking, osteopaths use a 'long lever' approach, pulling on the patient's arms and legs to achieve the desired effect on the spine. Chiropractors have a 'short lever' approach, making their adjustments directly onto the spinal vertebrae. Both professions work to high standards and the titles 'Chiropractor' and 'Registered Osteopath' have legal protection (it is a criminal offence to use either title unless properly qualified).

What is the difference between chiropractic and physiotherapy?

Physiotherapists have a long tradition of working with musculoskeletal injuries and other conditions. They are particularly known for 'rehabilitation' work such as helping accident victims and stroke patients back to a functional life. The techniques used by a particular physiotherapist will depend entirely on the training and experience he or she has had: some use manipulation and massage-type techniques, others use ultrasound and other forms of mechanical intervention, while others make exclusive use of exercise therapy and have no 'hands-on' contact with the patient at all. Many physiotherapists work within the National Health Service and, because of this, GPs tend to refer to them before considering other health professionals. It is not uncommon for people to come for chiropractic treatment while they are waiting to see an NHS physiotherapist.

Can I see a Chiropractor on the NHS?

In the past, some GP fund-holders in parts of the UK were able to pay for patients to have chiropractic treatment. Funding arrangements have changed in recent years however and such services are NOT currently available in Cambridgeshire. The outlook for the future is more promising: studies have shown chiropractic to be a cost-effective form of treatment and many GPs are open-minded about its benefits. Planned changes in the ways GPs control their budgets mean that NHS-funded chiropractic treatment might be a real possibility within the next few years.